Thankfully, things HAVE been better! Either that, or I’ve showed more competence as a mom. Cheh! 🙂

Here are the wonderful updates:

❤ STILL pumping
Exactly a day after Baby NZ turned one, she self-weaned. Nurse or direct latch were words no longer in her vocabulary. It happened in an instant, without warning. Self-weaned, but demanded breast milk only. I was left with no choice but to exclusively pump to meet the little diva’s demands.

At the beginning, I was unsure how long I would be able to stick to a strict daily schedule of exclusively pumping, apart from my concern whether milk supply can be sustained. It was super stressful. It’s not that I didn’t want to put myself through the trouble, but it happened so quickly that I was mentally and emotionally not prepared. Like with any other change, it was daunting at first. However, when you get the hang of it, you realise anguish and stress are only temporary.

After a string of formula milk rejection, I am still exclusively pumping. It’s been almost four months. Honestly, I did not think I would make it this far.

I can’t deny that milk supply is running low, so I am ultra relieved to have a supplement at hand. It wasn’t easy though. Her newfound love for fresh milk was achieved through a process that required effort from those around her.

Step 1: I started by giving her Farm Fresh and Dutch Lady fresh milk via spoon, which she rejected.
Step 2: We got a little creative and decided to add the milk with her puffs/cereal. It worked, but she still ate nonchalantly.
Step 3: We then tried chocolate milk and it was love at first sight. It’s a sugary drink, how could she resist? She still needs fresh milk, though.
Step 4: We kept feeding her fresh milk this way (with puffs/cereal), for a while.
Step 5: I moved on to another brand – Goodday. Not bad. Baby NZ consumed it OK.
Step 6: Since it’s a personal favourite, I revisited Dutch Lady. Guess what. The little munchkin has grown to love this milk. She asks for it like she’s asking for candy (not that I give her any). Feeding with a spoon didn’t cut it anymore so now, I give her fresh milk via bottle, while it’s cold.
Step 7: Success!

*FRESH MILK — should only be consumed by children when/after reaching the age of one. Babies younger than that should not be given fresh milk and should only stick to breast milk/formula. (Medically advised)

❤ First Steps
A little after turning one, Baby NZ took her first step!

I was sitting on a chair with my mobile phone on video mode as I wanted to take a video of her standing on her own. At the time, to be doing so was a huge achievement and the duration she was able to stand without support got longer each time.

But this time, while on camera, she took her FIRST STEP!!! 👣👣👣

I was ecstatic. Not every milestone can be captured on video this easily.

When I told my mom, she was like, “Oh yeah, she took her first step the other day, in front of me.”

Oh.

It’s always like that, isn’t it? They always choose to appease their grandparents over their parents! Hmmph! It’s okay, between you and me, she took that first step on camera, okay?? Kehkeh.

She’s been gradually improving on walking and I am now proud to say she’s able to do so without appearing like a drunken baby. LOL. She still experiences instability at times, but when she sees something she wants, she’s suddenly walking like a pro. Oh my baby!

On every outing, it’s important that I remember to bring her shoes along, so she can practice walking aka Baby NZ’s parents being relieved of ‘dukung duty’. Finding the right starter shoes wasn’t that easy either. Besides getting the right size, I recommend shoes that are soft, do not have heavy soles and have adjustable straps for toddlers learning to walk. But remember to not force it on your little one.

Now that she can stand and walk, I can’t wait to snap those mother-daughter OOTD photos!

*Cue trumpet sounds before we proceed to the next point please*

I hereby announce that I am now a proud owner of a ………………….

❤ MOM VLOG!!!!!

I love to write and blog, but I also love being in front of the camera. Hence, the new conquest! I’m not a pro when it comes to video taping and editing so there was a great dissatisfaction to my work early on. Even til now, I wish I’m just a natural at being able to produce captivating videos of my every day life that people yearn to see.

Wow. Maybe my life isn’t that interesting?

Okay, enough, Nadia! Don’t let social media swallow you into a black hole. Mom vlogs are supposed to portray the reality of things. No make-up, no fancy clothes, a cranky toddler and house chores! That’s what people want to see. Mom vlogs do not display satire or misleading kodak moments.

Sorry, I had to pen down a conversation to myself here. Hehe.

What inspired me to start my own vlog series was after watching other moms document their daily lives. No nannies, no drivers, no extra help. Just mommy and baby at home.

I was like, “Hey, it’s possible to run this one-woman show without getting insane!”

I mean, husbands help too, but for SAHMs, we spend more hours alone with our child and a lot needs to be done. Frankly, I do have a ‘village’ to help look after my daughter which makes life easier and allows me to pursue my part-time endeavours (reading the news and emceeing). Nevertheless, it won’t be long til I’ll have to independently fulfill my role as a mother. To mothers who do not share the same luxury and dedicate 110% of your attention and time towards your child — your strength is beyond admirable. But you ladies aren’t complaining anyway. 😉

What awed me even more as I vlog-hopped, was that there are mothers who single-handedly care for not just one, but three or four kids. If you like to watch mom vlogs, I recommend The Baby Gang which depicts life as a SAHM with a toddler + triplets! Her husband does his fair share when he gets home but before he does, nothing will stop this SAHM from taking her kids out. It’s so amazing to see how the young couple manage logistics, baby equipment, feeding, daily chores, etc with four little kids under their belt.

So ladies…

…look me up on YouTube and subscribe to my channel called It’s Mommy Nadia!!!!! I have 8 videos already uploaded, in which I personally believe the edits get better from one vlog to another. Hashtag persevere!

Here is my latest video:

❤ First Overseas Trip with Our Toddler
This deserves an entry on its own. There’s sooo many things to tell, including airport drama. Watch out for my next blog story!